STATE OF
HUMAN RESOURCES
CLASSIFICATION:
YOUTH COUNSELOR I
Class Code:
9970-11 Date Established: 07-30-82
Occupational Code:
3-2-1
Date of Last Revision: 5-14-12
BASIC
PURPOSE: To assist in providing routine safety and
protective care services for youth assigned to a residential or special
education program at a state institution, including responsibility for general
facility maintenance and housekeeping duties.
CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
·
Monitors
residents to ensure a safe and secure environment free from assaults, attempted
suicides and other potentially dangerous or fatal situations.
·
Demonstrates
ability to handle potentially volatile situations and physically subdues aggressive
residents.
·
Records
violations of the behavior management program in the appropriate sources
according to facility policy and enters progress notes for entry into case
records.
·
Writes
a variety of reports, including residential summary behavioral and seclusion/restraint
reports, to maintain a safe and orderly shift.
·
Models,
reinforces, redirects and sets limits to behavior through specified behavior
management techniques and monitors residents/students in seclusion, restraint
or other status.
·
Operates
and monitors surveillance and access control equipment in the Control Center
and Operations Center of the architecturally secure facilities operated by the
agency.
·
Makes
rounds of facility periodically as required and maintains a watch for fire,
attempted escape, prohibited acts or dangerous behavior which could compromise
the safety of the facility.
·
Ensures
that residents/students maintain appropriate hygiene and appearance and
supervises activities of daily living appropriate to the residential and school
environment.
·
Explains
program rules and expectations to youth upon admission to facility and helps
residents/students successfully complete tasks and activities required by
institutional and/or educational service plans.
·
Periodically
accompanies residents/students off-grounds to recreational or educational
activities; may accompany residents/students to appointments with community
agencies and private sector providers.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DISTINGUISHING FACTORS:
Skill:
Requires skill in applying instructions to accomplish different job
functions OR in operating machines for a variety of different purposes.
Knowledge:
Requires understanding and using business or trades vocabulary or basic
arithmetic to perform standard operating procedures.
Impact:
Requires responsibility for contributing to agency objectives by
ensuring the accuracy of support activities within one or more organizational
units. Errors at this level affect the
work of others or have measurable monetary consequences, and require immediate
verification and correction in order to complete succeeding work operations.
Supervision:
Requires partial supervision of other employees doing work which is
related or similar to the supervisor, including assigning job duties, providing
training, giving instructions and checking work.
Working Conditions:
Requires performing regular job functions in an adverse working environment
containing a combination of disagreeable elements which impact significantly
upon the employee's capacity for completing work assignments. This level includes work-related accidents or
assault.
Physical Demands:
Requires medium to heavy work, including continuous physical exertion
such as frequent bending, lifting, or climbing.
Communication:
Requires explaining facts, interpreting situations, or advising
individuals of alternative or appropriate courses of action. This level also requires interviewing or
eliciting information from state employees or members of the general public.
Complexity:
Requires a combination of job functions using minimal judgment to
perform a variety of job tasks according to clearly prescribed standard
practices and procedures.
Independent Action:
Requires making a limited number of choices in selecting among
alternative courses of action under supervisory guidance and in performing job
functions according to a variety of prescribed policies or procedures.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Education:
Associate’s degree or 60 credits from a recognized college or technical
institute with a study in sociology, psychology, human services, behavioral
science, social work, education, liberal studies, theology, or criminal justice.
Each additional year of approved formal education may be substituted for one
year of required work experience.
Experience:
One year experience working in organized group activities such as camp
counseling, Boy or Girl Scouting, school or church programs, coaching sports,
working with mentally and physically challenged youth and adults in a school,
daycare, hospital or correctional/rehabilitative setting or any similarly
related experience. Each additional year of approved work experience may be
substituted for one year of required formal education.
License/Certification: Valid New Hampshire driver’s license required
if responsible for transporting residents/students.
SPECIAL
REQUIREMENTS:
1.
For appointment
consideration, the applicant must successfully participate in a structured
interview measuring possession of knowledge, skills and abilities identified as
necessary for satisfactory job performance by this class specification. The structured interview is developed and
administered according to Division of Personnel guidelines by representatives
of the state agency in which the vacancy exists.
2.
Must successfully
complete the Juvenile Justice Academy within twelve months of employment from
date of hire as a Youth Counselor I.
3.
Upon completion
of the Juvenile Justice Academy, must attend 40 hours of in service training
annually.
4.
For promotion
from Youth Counselor Trainee, in addition to the above, must meet the following
requirements prior to promotion:
-
Must have
successfully completed the formal mentoring program.
-
Must receive a
satisfactory performance evaluation and be free of any disciplinary action.
-
Must have
approval from Supervisor III, Treatment Coordinator and Residential/Clinical
Administrator.
-
Case records must
all be complete and up to date as determined by the supervisor at the time of
the annual performance evaluation.
RECOMMENDED WORK TRAITS:
Ability to maintain a rehabilitative attitude and relationship with
residents. Ability to relate to
residents and co-workers in a positive manner.
Ability to restrain potentially aggressive clients. Ability to follow prescribed routine in
making rounds. Ability to perform
routine custodial duties. Ability to
take directions and cooperate with other employees. Ability to follow written and verbal
instructions. Ability to communicate
effectively in written and oral form.
Knowledge and familiarity with the use of personal computers. Ability to understand and work with youth and
their families. Ability to operate
radios and other communication equipment.
Ability to present oneself as a positive role model before the
residents/students assigned to the institution.
Must be alert and able to enforce rules and regulations. Must be willing to maintain appearance
appropriate to assigned duties and responsibilities as determined by the agency
appointing authority.
DISCLAIMER STATEMENT:
This class specification is descriptive of general duties and is not
intended to list every specific function of this class title.
Back
to Human Resources Home Page
Back to State Opportunities
Listing Page
Back to Class Specification
List